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How to Make a Friendship Star Quilt Block – the May Quilt Block of the Month

Welcome to May! Today is the 1st and with it comes our next Block of the Month in our Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series.  This month we will be making a Friendship Star Quilt Block.  Keep reading below to get the tutorial or learn more about our Quilt Block of the Month Series.

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

We are heading into the home stretch with the Block of the Month series.  I’m having such a good time, that I may consider doing it for a 2nd year.  This is block 9 of 12, only 3 more left after this one!!

Quilt Block of the Month series on polkadotchair.com - create a quilt in 12 easy steps!

UPDATE: You can now purchase a PDF with ALL of the block instructions for each month in one place!! Click here to PURCHASE

If you’re playing along be sure to share your finished blocks on social media with the hashtag #PolkaDotChairBlocks (if you have a private IG account, hashtags won’t work for you, so share it to my Facebook instead) , I’m on Instagram as @Polkadotchair or you can also share it right to my Facebook Page (you can post a photo over there)

If you missed it be sure to check out this post on Quilt Block Construction Tips.  You can find an index to all the posts in this quilt block series to date by clicking here.

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

About the Friendship Star Quilt Block:

This Friendship Star Block is another “quick sew”.  You can use up to 4 different fabrics on the block depending on your personal preference.

If you’re stuck picking fabrics just stick with 3 (background, star points, and center).  However, if you’re feeling adventurous and don’t mind having some pieces left over you can use 6 different fabrics.

This block uses the quick piecing method for making Half Square Triangles that we’ve chatted about in the past. If you’ve not used this method before don’t stress; I’ll provide a link to the tutorial for the HST on the next page with the instructions.

Okay, are you ready to make one???

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

How to Make a Friendship Star Quilt Block:

Yields One 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″ Finished Quilt Block

To make this block you will need:

4 pieces white fabric cut to 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″

1 piece of fabric for center square 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″

2 pieces white fabric cut to 6″ x 6″

1 piece print fabric cut to 6″ x 6″

1 piece of print fabric cut to 6″ x 6″

One: Create the Half Square Triangles

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

Begin by creating 4 Half Square Triangles using the 2 white 6″ x 6″ squares and the 6″ x 6″ squares in the 2 prints.  

You will layer one print fabric with one white fabric; right sides facing.  Draw a diagonal line down the center of the white square. Stitch on 1/4″ from each side of the diagonal line.

Cut along the line.

Press seam towards darker fabric and trim the pieces to 5 1/2 “x 5 1/2”.

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

You should now have 4 Half Square Triangles. For more help constructing Half Square Triangles CLICK HERE

Two: Lay Out the Pieces and Construct the Quilt Block

Lay out your HST and remaining pieces of fabric as shown below:

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

Stitch each row together and press seams towards one side.  After each row is stitched; stitch the rows to each other.

Trim block to 15″ x 15″ (if you did everything perfectly it will be 15 1/2″ square before trimming; I never do everything perfectly so I’ve built a little bit of leeway into the block measurements to help you out).

That’s it!

I’m still working on my other 3 quilts (one low volume; one Christmas and one for my teenage son)… Right now they are on the “back burner” while I finish my quilt market prep. I’ll be sure to share them with you as I get them completed.

For review; here are the Quilt Blocks we’ve made so far:

Free Quilt Tutorial and Pattern for a Log Cabin Quilt block; the April Block of the Month offered on the Polka Dot Chair Blog - So many cute quilt block ideas!

Just a quick reminder: This project along with ALL of the other projects on this blog are offered to you for free. The only thing that I ask is that you do not use them for any commercial purpose.  If you have a shop, this is not meant to be a program for you to use in your store. It’s meant to help build the online community of people who all LOVE quilting.  Please respect that so that I can go on sharing these projects for everyone.

The May Block of the Month in the Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series, a free tutorial to make a Friendship Star Quilt Block

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3 Comments

  1. Will you be showing us your other blocks for April. I am doing my quilt with multiple colors and would especially like to see how your looks in your three other quilt block color ways. Thank you!

    1. Yes, I’m planning to do it. I’ve just got to get some of this quilt market prep crossed off my list. That quilt is going in the RV and my husband is bugging me about getting it done!! 🙂

  2. Eek, I am so excited to have just taken delivery of your gorgeous Wonderland fabrics – they are so scrummy. I’m about to send some to Louise of Sew Sofia (who is apparently one of your biggest fans 🙂 and is going to make a lovely tutorial for Poppies & Polka Dots – I can’t wait to see it. Many thanks xx

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